Typewriting machine



1386- 1933. A. H. SHARPE TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Jan. 16, 933 2 Sheets-Sheet l I 'l i i I NVENTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. H. SHARPE TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Jan.

Dec. 12, 1933.

INVENTOR:

Patented Dec. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES 'rrrawm'rmc MACHINE Arthur H. Sharpe, West Hartford, Conn, as-

signor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application January 16, 1933. Serial No. 651,955 14 Claims. (Cl. 197-64) This invention relates to devices for retarding the tabulating movements of the power-driven carriages of typewriting machines.

Patent No. 1,858,447 to W. F. Helmond shows a flexible strap extending lengthwise on the carriage, the strap being confined between friction pads, which grip the strap.

In the present invention it is contrived to mount a friction strap upon the carriage in such a way that the carriage is capable of a limited free movement and quickly starts upon the tabulating run. After said carriage has advanced a certain distance, the strap is picked up, and is drawn along between the friction pads, to secure the desired braking effect.

The friction strap may be mounted upon studs disposed at the ends of the carriage. At each end the strap is formed with a parallel-sided loop which fits the studs. A light spring may be applied to draw the strap leftward to a normal position relative to the carriage. When the strap is gripped by the friction pads, the carriage may move freely leftward until another stud strikes said left-hand turned end of the strap. The

strap is then picked up and carried along against the drag of the friction pads, so that the carriage is subject to the brakingefl'ect.

Upon full release of the tabulating key the pads release their grip upon the strap and the latter is restored endwise'to its normal position relative to the carriage by the aforesaid light spring.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side sectional view. of the tabulating mechanism, showing the key-operable parts in operated positions;

Figure 2 is aperspective view of the tabulating mechanism and retarding device, and shows the brake-strap arranged on itssupporting studs for endwise movement relative to the carriage.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a section across the left-hand loop of the strap and shows the supporting stud, and the connection of the latter and the strap to the carriage.

Figure 4 is a top plan view indicating the carriage as about to start on a tabulating run, the friction pads gripping the strap, which is still in its normal position relative to the carriage.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, and indicates the carriage as having partly advanced without moving the strap.

Figure 6 indicates the carriage advanced to 'the point where it picks up the strap so that in further movement of the carriage, the braking effect of the friction pads becomes operative.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing on an enlarged scale the left end portion of the strap and surrounding parts of the carriage.

In the Underwood typewriter any key-operated type-bar 10 co-operates with a platen 11, journaled in a frame 12, carried by a carriage 13, movable on a front rail, not shown, and a rear rail 14, supported on a partly-shown typewriterframe 15. At each type-bar-printing stroke, escapement-mechanism, represented by escapement-wheel 16, pinion 17, andco-operating carriage-rack 18, is operated to letter-space the carriage 13 which is urgedleftward in letter-feed 7o direction by a spring-motor 19 connected to said carriage by a draw-band 20.

The herein-illustrated tabulating mechanism is of the character shown in said Helmond patent. Depression of a tabulating key 22, mounted on a lever 23, fulcrumed on rod 24, raises the upper end of a corresponding one of. a series of denominational stops 25 into the path of a counterstop 26, carried by the typewriter-carriage 13. The several denominational stops 25 are slidably retained in a column 30, supported by the typewriter-frame 15. Each stop 25 has a forwardly-projecting arm 32, so that when raised, it may operate a. universal bar 33, fastened by screws 34 to a rock-shaft 35, journaled in side lugs 36 of the column 30.

The rock-shaft carries an arm 38 operative as seen in Figures 1 and 2m swing a lever 39 about a stationary fulcrum 40. Said lever 39 carries a roll '41 under the carriage-rack 18. Referring to Figure 1, the tabulating-key lever 23 is shown in its operated position by the full lines. The corresponding denominational stop'25 is elevated as indicated by the arrow, and, by means of the universal bar '33, operated by the elevated stop,

thelever 39 is swung to raise the rack 18 clear of the escapement-pinion 1'7, whereupon the carriage is free to advance leftward under the pull of the spring-drum 19.

A counter -stop 26 is provided as usual for each position to which the carriage is to be tabulated. The several stops 26' are positioned along a notched bar 43, supported upon brackets 44 extending rearwardly from the carriage-frame 13. 46 is a scale, by which the stops 26 may be set. 105 Screws 47 secure the bar 43 to the brackets 44.

The brackets 44 also support, in a manner to be described presently, a strap 48 extending lengthwise of the carriage 13. Co-operating with said strap for retarding undue acceleration of no 49, the movable pad 50 is fastened to a plate.

53 having side ears 54 freely fitting the rockshaft 35 and spaced so that said plate is retained laterally between the lugs36 of column 30. A"

forwardly-projecting tongue 55 of themovable friction-pad plate 50 underlies the'universal bar 33 as seen in Figure I. Said tongue has fastened therein a stem 56 which projects through a clearance opening in the universal bar 33. Said stud carries at its upper end a nut 57, between the bottom of which and the top ofthe universal plate there is interposed a compression spring 59. The spring 59 forms a resilient driving connection between the universal bar 33 and the plate 53 on which the movable friction pad 50 is mounted. The plate 53 is provided with a resilient tongue 60 engaging one of the sides of the nut 57 to yieldably hold the latter in the position to which it may be turned for regulat ing the limit of force which the spring 59 may transmit to the movable pad-plate 53.

The strap 48 is mounted on the typewriter carriage l3 so that the carriage 13 is capable of a limited movement in tabulating direction relative to the strap, and the carriage may there fore move leftward freely for a certain distance at the start of a tabulatingfrun. That is to say, the key-lever 23being depressed to -release the carriage for a tabulatingrunand the movable pad.50 thereupon co-operatirig with the fixed pad 49 to immediately grip the strap 48,

the carriage is nevertheless free, by reason of its capability of limited movement relative to the strap 48, to advance a certain distance unen cumbered by any brakingefiect. When the carriage is 'under way, 'as,' for example, in an 'exbraking effect of thepads 49', 50 comes into'"p'lay.-

Thebraking strap 48 is accordingly best ar ranged and mountedtupon the carriage. as fol-- lows: Eachend-portion 6l'of the' brakingstrap 4 8, which maybe made of strip metal, is bent around fiatwise to form-with the body-ofthe strap 48a substantially parallel-sided-loop. Be-

tween each thus inwardly-turned endof the strap and therbody of the latter, there is inter-- posed a spacer 62 which with theturn;63; at the outer end establishes thewidth of the loop. A screw 64, whichmay be threaded into said inner end, and which has a head bearing against the outer face of the body of the strap, binds the body and inner end of the strap against'the spacer 62 through which said screw passes. The

elongate parallel-sided loop thus formed at each end of the strap fits over a stud 65, having upper and lower flanges 66 spaced to guide the loop forming part of the strap at the edges as seen inFigure 3, the sides. of theloop. slidably fitting 'body 67 of the stud 65.

a body 67 formed between the flanges 66 of the stud 65.

The strap-supporting studs are secured against the under side of the brackets 44 by screws 68 which pass through elongate slots 69 in said brackets andare threaded into said studs 65. The slots 69 permit rearward or forward adjustment of the studs 65, so that thestrap 48 may be aligned with the front face of the stationary pad 49. The screw 64 at the left-hand loop of the strap is extended to form a spring-stud 70, to which is attached one end of a spring 71, anchored at its other end to a downwardly-turned ear 72 of an arm 73 of the left-hand bracket 44. The spring .71 is proportioned to exert a comparatively light force todraw the strap 48 leftward to its normal position relative to the carriage, and in which position the turn 63 of the right-hand loop abuts the The length of the strap is such that in said normal position of the strap relative to the carriage, as seen in Figure 4, the left-hand stud 65 stands from the turn 63 of the left-hand loop at a distance corresponding to the maximum distance in which it is desired thecarriage shall travel free of the braking device at the beginning of a tabulating run.

At the beginning of a tabulating run initiated by operation of a tabulating key 22, the movable pad 5O driven by-said key closes upon the strap 48 as the carriage begins "to move leftward. This condition is indicated in Figure 4. In the initial portion of ti'ie'ensuing tabulating movement, the carriage, however, moves freely and expeditiously, independently of the grip of the pads 49, 50 upon the strap 48. This latter condition is indicated in Figure 5, wherein it is seen that with the strap 48 heldbysaid pads, the strap-supporting studs 65 may travel with the carriage lengthwise of and within the loops formed at the ends of the strap.- When the left-hand'stud 65 reaches'the turn 63' of the left-hand loop,as indicated in Figure 6, further movement of the carriage will force the strap 48 leftward as indicated by the arrow, and,

during such further movement, the braking eifect of the closed pads 49, 50, for controlling undue acceleration'of the carriage, becomes effective to the extent that theoperator presses down upon Whenone or theother of the carriage-counterstops 26 has settled against the raised denominational stop 25, the tabulating key is released as usual, causingthe retraction of the raised'stop 25; and at the same time causing the restoration of the carriage to the control of the escapement mechanism in consequence of the dropping of the carriage-rack 18 upon the pinion 1'7. At the same time the movable pad 50 is withdrawn from the strap 48 and returns to the'Figure 2 position- The strap-spring 71 thereupon becomes effective topull the. strap 48 leftward relative to the carriage, so that the right-hand-turn 63 of the strap its lating run'may be madefree 'of the braking device and therefore expeditiously, because, as 'in-' dicated in Figure 5, the left-hand stud 65 will not have reached the left-hand end of the strap when the raised stop 25 intercepts the counter-stop 26.

' In the Figure 6 instance, the tabulating run is of such extent that the braking effect comes into play before the counter-stop 26 is intercepted, the strap 48 being forced through the friction pads by reason of the left stud 65, with the force of the carriage behind it, pushing upon the left end of the strap; 7

The normal distance of the left-hand stud 65 from the left turn 63 of the strap, as seen in Figure 4, may be such that while the carriage is freely traveling said distance, it will not have acquired enough momentum to make'the use of the brake necessary for preventing undue shockwhen said carriage is arrestedby the stop 25.

Each denominational stop 25 has a restoring spring '75. The universal bar 33 andits attached pad-holding plate 53 may drop by gravity upon retraction of the denominational-stop arm 32. The brackets 44 may be separate pieces, shaped as indicated and secured to the carriage 13 by screws 76. 7

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine having a carriage; carriage-tabulating mechanism including a key, means operableby said key to cause said carriage to be driven for a tabulating run, said carriage presenting a friction surface coextensive with the range of carriage travel, a brake-pad operable by said key to press against and grip saidsurface, and means whereby the carriage is enabled to freely advance a certain distance after the start of said tabulating run without being subject to the braking effect of the pad while the latter grips said surface, said latter means being arranged so the braking effect comes into play during the advance of the carriage beyond said distance.

2. In a typing and tabulating mechanism having a normally restrained power-driven carriage and a key operableto release said carriage for tabulation to a stop set by said'key, the combination of a carriage-brake strap, opposite friction pads closable one toward the other by said key to grip said strap, and means mounting said strap on said carriage for free movement of limited extent of the carriage relative to said strap in tabulating direction at the start of a tabulating run, while the strap is held stationary by said pads.

3, In a typing and tabulating mechanism hav ing a normally restrained power-driven carriage and a key operable to release said carriage for tabulation to a stop set by said key, the combination of a carriage-brake strap, opposite friction pads closable one toward the other by said key to grip said strap, and means mounting said strap on said carriage for free movement of limited extent of the carriage relative to said strap in tabulating direction at the start of a tabulating run, while the strap is held stationary by said pads, said means including a strap-supporting stud carried by the carriage at each end of the strap, each end of the strap having an elongate loop or eye slidably fitting the stud.

4. In a key-operated tabulating mechanism having a power-driven typing-machine carriage; a carriage-retardingdevice including a member presenting a friction surface coextensive with the range of carriage movement, a friction pad pressable by the tabulating key against said surface, and means forming a lost-motion connection between said member and carriage whereby said carriage when tabulating has initially a limited'free movement relative to said member while the latter is frictionally held by saidkeyoperated pad, the retarding device therebybecoming effective only when the carriage, in advancing farther than the extent of said limited movement, has taken up thelost motion.

, 5. In a key-operated tabulating mechanism having a power driv'en typing-machine carriage; acarriage-retarding device including a member presenting a friction surface coextensive with the range 'of carriage movement, a friction pad pressable by the tabulating key against said surface, nieans forming a lost-motion connection between said member and carriage whereby said carriage when tabulating has initially a limited free movement relative to said member while the latter is frictionally held by said key-operated pad, the retarding device thereby becoming effectiveonly when the carriage, in advancing farther than the extent of said limited movement, has taken up the lost motion, and means automatically restoring said member to the starting point of said lost motion upon release of said key and pad; 7

6. A carriage-retarding device for a tabulating mechanism, including a carriage-brake strap having elongate looped ends formed by bending the end-portions of said strap fiatwise and securing the thus inwardly-turned ends of the strap to the body of the latter, means presented by the carriage engaging the elongate loops to thereby support the strap for limited lengthwise movement relative to the carriage, and a key-operated friction-pad device co-operative with said 115 strap.

7. A carriage-retarding device for atabulating mechanism, including a carriage-brake strap having elongate looped ends formed by bending the end-portions of said strap fiatwise and se- 120 curing the thus inwardly-turned ends of the strap to the body of the latter, means presented by the carriage engaging the elongate loops to thereby support the strap for limited lengthwise movement relative to the carriage, a key-operated 125 friction-pad device co-operative with said strap, and a spring keeping said strap at one extreme of its limited lengthwise movement relative to the carriage so that the carriage in the initial portion of its tabulating run causes the strap to be displaced to the other extreme of said movement relative to the carriage while the strap is held by the friction-pad device, said spring restoring said strap upon the release of the latter from said pad-device.

8. A retarding device for a carriage-tabulating mechanism including a carriage-brake strap, a key-operated friction-pad device, and means supporting said strap on said carriage for co-operation with said friction-pad device, said strap and 14 supporting means being arranged so that the carriage may have free movement of limited extent lengthwise of the strap at the initial portion of a tabulating run while the strap is held by the friction-pad device.

9. A retarding device for a carriage-tabulating mechanism including a carriage-brake strap, a key-operated friction-pad device, means supporting said strap on said carriage for co-operation with said friction-pad device, said strap and sup- 150 porting means being arranged so that the car-. riage may have free movement of limited extent lengthwise of the strap at the initial portion of a tabulating run while the strap is held by the friction-pad device, said free movement of the car.- riage causing lengthwise displacement-- of the strap relative to the carriage, and a spring for tion of a tabulating run, said carriage is enabled to advance freely without retardation by said braking device irrespective of the pressure on said key. a

11. A carriage-retarding device for a tabulating mechanism, including a carriage-brake strap, cooperating friction-pad means, and a pair of studs on the carriage supporting said strap for lengthwise displacement of limited extent relative to the carriage, end-portions of the strap being turned fiatwise to form parallel-sided elongate loops slidably fitting the studs, the thus inwardly turned ends of the strap being each separated from the body of the strap by a :spacer, means being provided to fasten the spacer, inwardly-.

turned end and body together. I i

12. A carriage-retarding devicefor a tabulating mechanism, including a carriage-brake strap, cooperating friction-pad means, and a pair of studs on the; carriage supporting said strap for lengthwise displacement of limited extent relative to the carriage, end-portions of the strap being turned flatwise to form parallel-sided elongate loops slidably fitting the studs, the thus inwardly-turned ends of the strap being each separated from the body of-the strap by a spacer, means being provided to fasten the spacer, inwardly-turned end and body together, the strap and the studs being arranged so that one stud limits said displacement in one direction and the other stud limits the displacement in the opposite direction.

13. A carriage-retarding device for a tabulating mechanism, including a carriage-brake strap, cooperating friction-pad means, a pair of studs on the, carriage supporting said strap for lengthwise displacement of limited extent relative to the carriage, end-portions of the strap being turned flatwise to ,form parallel-sided elongate loops slidably fitting the studs, the thus inwardlyturned ends of the strap being each separated from the body of the strap by a spacenmeans being provided to fasten the spacer, inwardlyturned end and body together, the strap and the studsbeing arranged so that one stud limits said 100 displacement in one direction and the other stud limits the displacement in the opposite direction, and a spring-device on the carriage drawing said strap, in the direction in which the carriage is tabulated.

14. A carriage-brake strap having an end-portion turned facewise and the inwardly-turned end fastened tothe body of the strap to form an elongate loop.

ARTHUR H. SHARPE. 1 

